Lid lift



Oct. 10, 1939. a. A. L-OFTIN ETAL I 23 ,5 3

LID LIFT Filed June 22, 1 936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Paw/ aw Oct. 10, 1939. G LQFTIN ETAL 2,175,534

LID LIFT Filed June 22, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 10, 1939 LID LIFT Application June 22, 1936, Serial No. 86,653

11 Claims. (Cl. 217-) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to chests and like arti cles and particularly to means for lifting the lids of such articles to open position upon the release of a catch or other holding means.

The usefulness and efiiciency of chests and similar articles which are consti ucted of or lined with materials emitting a moth-killing aroma, such as cedar wood, are greatly impaired unless positive provision is made for retaining the aroma within the chest to a large extent. A very effective means for insuring the aromatightness of such an article is the provision of a resilient sealing strip of metal or the like in such a position that it will be compressed in the joint between the lid and the body of the article when the lid is in closed position and thereby seal the joint against the loss of aroma.

However, such a sealing strip is not effective unless the lid is in fully closed position and it is highly desirable to prevent the accidental leaving of the lid in apparently closed position where it is resting on the sealing strip only under its own weight, as would happen if the latch or other lid holding device was not engaged.

This is effectively prevented by the spring lid lift of the present invention since it will cause the lift to rise into fully open position whenever the lid is not fully closed and the latch or other holding device engaged.

The spring lid lift also enables the user of the chest to open the chest with the use of one hand by merely releasing the latch holding the lid in closed position.

Moreover, when the chest is provided with the spring lid lift of the invention it is impossible for it to fall accidentally by jarring or otherwise and thus the risk of injury by accidentally falling lids is eliminated.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a chest or like article with means for automatically lifting the lid into fully opened position when the latch or catch holding the lid is released.

A further object is the provision of means for lifting and holding the lid of a chest in open position which is adjustable to lids of varying weights.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a partial view of a chest assembly with the lid in opened position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through a chest embodying the invention with the lid in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the housing and adjusting device of the lid lift;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the front wall of the chest, illustrating the latch mechanism for the lid.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I represents the back, 2 the side, 3 the, lid and 4 the front wall of a chest. The lid is provided with resilient sealing strip 5, which in closed position of the lid contacts with the top edge of the body.

The chest is also preferably provided with hinges 8, having a stopping and holding effect, of the type described in application Serial No. 86,652 filed June 22, 1936, now Patent No. 2,136,- 141 issued Nov. 8, 1938.

The spring lid lift of the invention in the form shown in the drawings comprises a spiral spring 23, mounted on a slotted pin or stud 2 1, which is pivoted in case 25. The case is preferably made of a material resistant to the action of cedar oil, for example, Bakelite, and in the form illustrated is fastened by screws or bolts to the side wall of the chest. The stud 24 is held in pivotal engagement with the casing by means of bolt 26 and washer 21.

The inner end of the spring 23 engages a slot in stud 24 and the outer end is extended into a lifting arm 2|, which slides in a metal track 22, fastened to theundersi-de of the lid of the chest, thus providing a smooth sliding action and preventing wear on the wood of the lid.

Adjustment of the device to lids of various weights and to compensate for any change in the tension of the spring with use is effected by means of adjusting screw 28, which is in threaded 40 engagement with the case 25. The inner end of screw 28 engages lever 29, which is mounted on stud 24 and keyed thereto by means of ears 30, engaging slots in the stud. Turning screw 28 increases the tension on spring 23 and produces a greater lifting action on the chest lid, While turning the screw out reduces the tension and the lifting action. The screw advantageously projects through a hole 3|, in the rear wall of the chest so that it is readily accessible.

It is possible by this adjusting means to so adjust the spring tension that when the lid is entirely open the spring is under no tension, so that no jar is created when the lid reaches the open position. It is also possible to provide a governor device operating by friction or the like which will limit the speed at which the lid is raised, particularly in the beginning of the lift, when the spring is under the highest tension. The extension of the lever arm 2| is approximately the center of the lid when in open position makes it possible to reduce the spring tension and thus reduce the pressure on the lid in closed position, so that warping of the lid is avoided. To facilitate the working of the lever, a roller or the like may be provided at its end.

The shape and relative arrangement of the spring and other parts of the device may be changed to a Wide degree without departing from the principles of the invention.

It is particularly desirable that chest assemblies including a spring lid lift and resilient sealing strip, as described herein, should also include a lock for the lid having a roller on the keeper, of the type described in application Serial No. 33,365, filed July 26, 1935. This lock, which is shown more particularly in Fig. 6, comprises a housing 35 and back plate 36, which latter is formed with a forwardly offset face plate 31 apertured at 38 to receive the latch-engaging portion of the keeper.

The lock casing 35 is mounted in the front wall 39 of the chest body and includes a sleeve portion 40 which extends to the outer face of the wall 39. A cylinder 4|.is slidable in the sleeve 40 and has an integral push button 42 extending outwardly and exposed upon the front 39 of the chest. At its opposite end the cylinder 4| is provided with a cylindrical extension 43 of reduced diameter which extension passes through and is guided in an aperture 44 in the back plate 36.

The latch member of the lock comprises an arm 45 pivoted substantially midway of its length upon a pin 46 supported in brackets 41 riveted or otherwise secured to the housing 35 and back plate 36, one end of the arm constituting a lever 48 which lies adjacent the extension 43 and overlies the inner exposed end of the cylinder 4|. The other end of the arm 45 is provided with a hook 49 arranged to underlie the aperture 38 in the face plate 31, and normally held in such position, and with its lever end 48 in engagement with the inner end of the cylinder 4|, by a spring 58, one end 5| of which bears against the lever 48 and the other end 52 of which bears against the back plate 38. The upper face of the hook 49 is so shaped as to impart camming action to the latch member to pivot it to the dotted line position in Fig. 6 when the latch-engaging member or portion of the keeper is inserted through the aperture 38, to permit the latch-engaging member to pass the hook to such an extent as to be engaged thereby.

The keeper of the lock, which is mounted on the lid of the chest in a position to engage the latch upon closing of the lid, comprises a yoke 53 which is mounted for limited shifting motion as more particularly disclosed in said application Serial Number 33,365. The yoke 53 is provided with a roller 54 freely rotatable upon a pin 55 disposed adjacent the tip of the yoke, and this roller forms the latch engaging member of the keeper and functions to effect smooth and easy engagement and disengagement fr the latch member even though the parts ar under considerable tension due to the action of the lid-lifting mechanism. Without the roller on the keeper, the tension of the lid lift and sealing strip against the lid would make it difficult to disengage the latch without pressing down on the lid. When a chest assembly includes both the button-operated, roller-equipped latch of the application referred to and the spring lid lift described herein, it is only necessary to push the button 42 thereby retracting the latch hook from the roller keeper in order to fully open the lid, which is an obvious convenience, as a chest is frequently approached with at least one hand full of articles to be placed in the chest.

Moreover, as is pointed out above, because of the fact that the lid will always open to the full extent unless it is entirely closed and the catch is in engagement, the possibility that the user will accidentally leave the chest in apparently closed but partially open position is eliminated and the possibility of the loss of mothkilling aroma in this manner is avoided.

We claim:

1. In an aroma-tight cedar chest including a body, a lid pivotally hinged to said body, and a manually releasable latch means for holding the lid in closed position, a spring actuated member pivotally engaging the body at one point on the member and slidably engaging the lid at another point on the member so as to lift the lid upon disengagement of the latch means, and said latch means having rolling contact at the point of engagement, whereby the latch means may be manually disengaged while under the tension of the lid-lifting member.

2. In an aroma-tight cedar chest including a body, a lid pivotally hinged to said body, and a manually releasable latch means for holding the lid in closed position, a spring actuated member pivotally engaging the body at one point on the member and slidably engaging the lid at another point on the member so as to lift the lid upon disengagement of the latch means, and said latch means having rolling engagement between the keeper member and the latch member thereof, whereby the latch means may be manually disengaged while under the tension of the lid-lifting member.

3. In an aroma-tight cedar chest including a body lined with cedar aroma-emitting material and sealed against the escape of aroma from the exterior thereof, a lid pivotally hinged to said body, resilient sealing means positioned between the lid and the body, a manually releasable latch means for holding the lid in closed position so as to compress the said resilient means and prevent the escape of aroma from the chest, a spring actuated member engaging the body at one point thereon and engaging the lid at another point thereon so as to lift the lid upon disengagement of the latch means and said latch means having rolling engagement between the keeper member and the latch member thereof, whereby the latch means may be manually disengaged while under the tension of the lid-lifting member and the resilient sealing means.

4 In a chest or the like including a body and a lid hinged to said body, a Pin member mounted on said body for axial rotary adjustment 11 lifting device comprising a coiled spring havi g ts inner end secured to said pin member and ts outer end terminating in an arm having sliding engagement with said lid, and means for axially rotatably adjusting said pin member to adjust the tension of said spring and for securing said pin in adjusted position.

5. In a chest or the like including a body and a lid hinged thereto, a lid lifting device comprising a casing mounted in said body, a pin member mounted in said casing for rotary adjustment, a lever arm carried by said pin for effecting rotary adjustment thereof, a flat coil spring member housed Within said casing and having its inner end secured to said pin member, the outer convolution of said spring terminating in an integral arm portion slidably engaging the under surface of said lid, and means for adjusting the position of said lever arm to vary the tension of said spring.

6. In a chest including a body and a lid hinged to said body, a lid lifting device comprising a casing mounted in said body, an axially rotatable bearing pin mounted in said casing, a coiled spring having its inner end secured to said body pin and its outer end terminating in a lever arm having sliding engagement with the inner surface of said lid to exert a lifting force thereon, means for axially rotating said bearing pin to adjust the tension of said coiled spring and a channel guide member for said spring arm secured to the inner face of said lid, said channel forming a bearing surface for sliding engagement with said arm and confining said arm against lateral movement relative to said lid.

'7. In a chest including a body and a lid hinged thereto, a lid lifting device comprising a casing mounted in said body, an axially rotatable bearing pin mounted in said casing, a coil spring member having its inner end secured to said bearing pin, a member actuated by said spring and engaging the under surface of said lid, and means for axially rotating said bearing pin to adjust the tension of said coiled spring.

8. In a chest including a body and a lid hinged thereto, a lid lifting device comprising a casing mounted in said body, an axially rotatable bearing pin mounted in said casing, a coil spring member having its inner end secured to said bearing pin, a member actuated by said spring and engaging the under surface of said lid, a lever carried by said bearing pin for axially rotating the same to adjust the tension of said coil spring, and means engaging said lever to adjust the position thereof to vary the tension of said spring.

9. In a chest including a body and a lid hinged thereto, a lid lifting device comprising a casing mounted in said body, a bearing pin mounted in said casing for rotary adjustment, a lever arm carried by said pin for effecting rotary adjustment thereof, a coil spring member housed within said casing and having its inner end secured to said bearing pin, a lid engaging member actuated by said spring to exert a lifting force on said lid, and means for adjusting the position of said lever arm to vary the tension of said spring.

10. In a chest including a body and a lid hinged thereto, a lid lifting device comprising a casing mounted in said body, a bearing pin mounted in said casing for rotary adjustment, a lever arm carried by said pin for effecting rotary adjustment thereof, a coil spring member housed within said casing and having its inner end secured to said bearing pin, a lid engaging member actuated by said spring to exert a lifting force on said lid, and a screw member threaded in said casing and engaging said lever arm for adjusting the position of said lever arm to vary the tension of said spring.

11. In a chest including a body and a lid hinged thereto, a lid lifting device comprising a casing mounted in said body, adjacent the rear wall thereof, a bearing pin mounted in said casing for rotary adjustment, a lever arm carried by said pin for effecting rotary adjustment thereof, a coil spring member housed within said casing and having its inner end secured to said bearing pin, a lid engaging member actuated by said spring to exert a lifting force on said lid, and a screw member threaded in said casing and having one end thereof engaging said lever arm for adjusting the position of said lever arm to vary the tension of said spring, the rear wall of said chest having an opening therein providing access to the other end of said screw member to pjermit adjustment thereof from outside the chest.

GRADY A. LOF'I'IN.

LAURENCE K. LOFIIN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,175,55L October 10, 19 9.

, GRADY A'. LOFTIN, ET AL.

It ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as followsr Page 5, first column, line 20, claim 6, strike out the word "body";'and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of November, A. D. 1959.

/ Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

